Lady of the Night
by SweetVenom69
Summary: Edward tries to find a way to relax before a big job interview the following morning and finds himself in the clutches of a "lady of the night"...or does he?
1. Chapter 1 Big Money

**A/N A quickie thank you to Lezlee, Mac, and SueBob for their beta expertise and dealing with my grammarFAIL. =)**

**Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga is owned by Stephenie Meyer. This little diddy is all mine. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Lady of the Night

~*~ EPOV ~*~

I stepped out of the airport terminal and into the searing heat of the Nevada desert. It's amazing how a two hour, twenty minute flight from Seattle to Las Vegas can provide the extremes in weather and vegetation. Damp and moss, meet arid and sand. It's like a whole different world here compared to Forks.

I hopped in a cab and directed the driver to take me to the Bellagio. The sun had started to set, the lights of the Vegas strip twinkled and flashed in the darkened sky. As we pulled up to the valet, I paid the fare, grabbed my carry-on bag, and made my way to the hotel check-in. I flirted shamelessly with the girl at the front desk and considered asking her to join me for a drink when her shift ended, but decided against it. I thanked her for the complimentary suite upgrade and bid her a good evening with a wink, making my way to the bank of elevators.

I entered my room, appreciative of the fine appointments the suite had over the standard amenities of a regular room - nicer quality linens, a leather sofa and huge, plasma TV, and a killer view of the strip.

_Too bad the guys aren't here to see this place._ It sure beat the shit hole we stayed in the last time I was here - for Emmett's bachelor party. I couldn't even tell you the name of that hotel. I don't remember much from that trip. It was four days in a drunken stupor with my brother and three of his best friends.

One of the few things I did remember was Jasper telling us about the high-dollar hookers that preyed in the fancy bars and nightclubs on the strip. Supposedly, these "Ladies of the Night" were the kind of women who have a Madam and not a pimp and that are more escort versus prostitute. He told us that they would tie their hair with a ribbon to signal that they were available and when they found a potential client, they would remove the ribbon. How Jazz acquired this knowledge, I had no clue, but we listened intently as if he were giving us the clues to find One-Eyed Willy or some shit.

We had set out on this adventure to find some of these women, but no such luck. The closest any of us got to any action that entire weekend was the groomsmen and I eavesdropping on Emmett and Rosalie's phone sexing. The dumbass didn't even realize we could hear him as he was describing the firmness of his pecker to his fiancee from suite's kitchenette. It wasn't even very juicy since the intoxicated ass slurred his words and repeated the same phrase over and over again until he lost his balance, fell down to the floor, and passed the fuck out - at which point, Jasper and Mike tossed him a pillow and blanket, and Emmett slept the rest of the night on the linoleum.

This trip, however, was only for one night, and I had no plans to botch it up by getting shitfaced. I had one goal for being here and that was to nail the job interview with Cullen Pharmaceuticals tomorrow morning. This job could launch my career, and I refused to fuck up the once-in-a-lifetime chance by arriving hungover to my meeting with my potential new boss.

Although one little drink couldn't hurt. It would help me unwind and ease the tension of my appointment tomorrow and might even help me fall asleep a bit easier. With that thought in mind, I grabbed a quick shower, dressed in a black button-down shirt and dark jeans, and made my way to The Bank, a ritzy lounge in the hotel.

~*~ BPOV ~*~

I had spent the better half of an hour at a bar in Caesar's Palace, listening to this jackass, James, ramble on and on about all the property he owned in the Virgin Islands and the planes his company has. How this is supposed to impress me, I have no idea. I glanced down at my watch and noticed it was nearly eight-thirty, and I had a business meeting with a client at The Bank in the Bellagio in fifteen minutes. I interrupted James and his poor excuse for flirting to tell him that I had to go and thanked him for the drink. He asked for my number, but I lied and told him that I didn't live in Vegas, and that I was headed back to Alaska...or Alabama...or Singapore in the morning. I continued to ignore his incessant peacocking as I stood to straighten my dress, grabbed my purse, and headed for the exit doors.

As I crossed the street to the Bellagio, I received a text from my client telling me that he would not be able to meet me this evening and asking if we could reschedule for later this week instead. I replied that I would pencil him in for Thursday evening and then powered-down my phone, tired of all the work-related schmoozing, and eager to be on Bella-time.

It had been a while since I had been out for a drink by myself, so I figured since I was already at The Bank, I might as well have another drink (or three) and possibly meet a nice guy in the process. I was so tired of these pathetic losers, like James, who put on their A-game to try to "wow" me. I didn't want an arrogant asshole; I wanted an attractive man with a sense of humor who liked to talk dirty in bed.

Oh, and who was single.

I couldn't tell you how many times I have met guys who were here for business conferences or with friends who told me they were single but were really married with four kids and one on-the-way. It was hard to find Mr. Right in Vegas, so I had stopped looking. Hell, I was no prude. I could get my physical needs fulfilled with one-night stands, but I had always left feeling empty.

_Maybe tonight will be different._

I scoffed at my last thought as I entered The Bank and made a beeline for the bar. I gave my order to the bartender and searched through my purse for a scrunchy to pull my hair up with. I had worked up a little sweat in the staggering Nevada heat while I power-walked from Caesar's to the Bellagio. I rummaged through the useless crap at the bottom of my bag - a spork from the Chinese takee-outee place, a small bundle of Band-Aid packages, thousands of empty gum wrappers, and -_eureka!_ an old shoelace!! I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail, then dabbed the tiny beads of sweat from my nose and chin. My French martini was delivered, and I smiled widely at the sweet, purple concoction and took a rather large gulp as a sexy, velvet voice materialized by my right ear.

"Excuse me... is this seat taken?" a gorgeous, green-eyed man asked me as I stared up at him like a dumbfounded mute.

He hesitated before tapping on the bar stool next to me. I looked blankly down at the bar stool in question and back up at him, with my ability to speak still evading me. I nodded in response and whipped my head back to face my drink in front of me as my cheeks began to flame with blush. He slid onto the seat and turned towards me slightly, sticking his hand out in offering.

"My name is Edward." He smiled warmly, and I reached out to shake his hand.

"I'm Bella."

"It's an honor to meet you, Bella. May I buy you another drink?" He nodded to the empty martini glass gripped tightly in my hand, and I smiled in return.

We spent the next half hour making small talk - the differences in the climate and flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest compared to the Southwest and our family histories, including my growing up in Phoenix and his childhood in Chicago. He scooted his stool closer and leaned in to touch my arm, and occasionally rubbed his leg against mine. Things started to get a bit more interesting when he asked what brought me to The Bank tonight.

"I was supposed to meet a client tonight, but he stood me up." I shrugged. It wasn't uncommon to have my appointments cancelled or postponed. Sometimes things at the office or family obligations would keep my clients from being able to make their meetings with me in the evenings, so it wasn't unusual. Edward seemed a little shocked by my admission at first, then a wide smile crossed his face.

"So, Bella...what is it that you do?"

Not wanting to get into the technical aspects of my job or to tell a stranger who I worked for, I gave my usual vague answer. "I, uh...I am in the healing-bodies industry."

His eyebrows shot up, and a wicked smirk sprawled across his face. Leaning closer to my ear, he purred, "And if my body needed some healing...could you help me out with that?"

Ohhh, this player was good. The liquid tempo of his voice, the closeness of his body to mine, and the scent of his cologne swirled through my head and straight to my vagina. I tried to take a step back from this conversation before I dove off the deep end and mounted Mr. Smooth-talker on top of the bar.

Not answering his last question, I smiled shyly and looked down at my fumbling hands in my lap. "What is it that you do, Edward?"

He pulled away from me to sit against the back of the chair, narrowing his eyes and stared at me for a brief moment before leaning in closer to my ear and breathing, "Sales."

Holy fucking Christ.

His hot breath blew past my earlobe and down my neck, producing goosebumps in its wake. My breath escaped in ragged bursts and my eyelids fluttered as I tried to reign in the overwhelming surge of hormones pumping through my body. My willpower was caving fast, and then his last statement registered in my brain.

Sales.

Sales?!

As in male prostitute kind of "sales"?

My heart spit and sputtered as I realized I may have just been solicited by a male prostitute. I had heard that there are some men that scope out women at top-notch bars in town, and at first I was not sure how I felt about that.

Disgusted? Violated? Flattered?

I was sure a look of pure confusion crossed my face, because Edward looked at me with concern and asked if I was okay. I nodded numbly and focused my gaze into the sparkling emeralds of his eyes, and a crazy thought entered my mind. He might have been be a prostitute, but I'd be willing to bet it would be the best sex of my young life if I hooked up with Mr. Smooth-talker. _I haven't gotten laid in three months, so I'm due for a little romp in the hay. Come to think of it, I'm sure I have a few condoms somewhere in the bottom of my purse, and besides, he's not even from the area, so who's to say I will ever see this guy again._

I sat quietly, staring at him for a few moments, until I jumped off my bar stool, grabbed his hand, and pulled him towards the bank of elevators. My inner vixen was celebrating - _Bella's gonna get her freak on!!_

~*~ EPOV ~*~

What the fuck just happened? Not that I was complaining, but first she looked at me like she was going to vomit, then she rummaged through her bag, and finally got a wicked gleam in her eye and nearly dislocated my shoulder as she pulled me off my bar stool and toward the exit doors.

"Where are we going?" I asked, not sure if she had a room here in the hotel, or wanted to go back to her place.

"Your room. You are staying here, aren't you?"

I nodded fervently and pressed the elevator button about fifty million times in hopes the fucking thing would hurry up before she changed her mind. Or I changed my mind. I considered asking her about her rates for her services but the elevator doors opened and she pushed me inside as an elderly couple hobbled their way on before the doors shut. Bella squeezed my hand tightly and stared daggers at the backs of the senior citizens' heads, muted growls and grumbles spewing from her mouth.

Once they exited the lift on their floor, Bella pressed the button to close the doors and pushed me up against the wall, cupping her hand at the back of my head to force me to look down at her as she spoke.

"I know what you are and what we are going to do, so I don't want any lovey-dovey shit. I want it hot, fast, and raw. You will talk dirty and you will spank me. Got it?"

I would have agrued that I should be able to request my preferences since I was the one paying for her services, but I kept my mouth shut as the elevator doors chimed their arrival to my floor.

I staggered for a second as her words registered in my head. _Jesus, this girl is a freak! It's going to cost me a small fortune. I hope she can take AmEx._

I squashed that thought and decided this was going to be the best fuck of my life, and I would fork over some of my trust fund if it meant things were about to get kinky up in here.

I lead her to my hotel room and fumbled with the key card a few times. She's bounced up and down on the balls of her feet next to me like she had to pee or something and mumbled for me to hurry up. Once I finally got the door open, I slammed it up against the wall and she ducked under my arm to walk in ahead of me. She stopped as she entered the living area and spun on her heel to return to me with a look of determination.

"I want the curtains open and the lights off."

"Uh, okay."

"And I want you to fuck me from behind over the back of that couch." She pointed to the leather sofa across from the picture window, and I continued to nod like a bobble-head doll.

I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her hard against my body. The collision of our torsos forced a rush of air to escape her lips, and I looked down into her brown eyes and saw the inferno burning behind them.

_She wants me...and she wants me to go primal on her. Jesus, I think I'm in love._

I decided to tease her a bit, so I slowly brought my lips down towards hers and hovered for a second as I heard her breath hitch and then proceeded to lick the corner of her mouth, eliciting a smile from her.

"I told you, I didn't want any lovey-dovey stuff, Edward."

"Shhhh, Bella. I promise I will fuck you, exactly how you asked me to, but I really want to hear you beg for it."

She let out a tiny yelp at my words and her head fell backwards as she pushed her breasts harder into my chest. I continued my lingual assault on her chin and neck as my hands roamed farther down her body to cup her ass. As I delivered a gentle squeeze on her soft curves, she ground her body onto my straining erection.

"Oh God," she gasped, her eyes widening and her body stiffened.

I was a little surprised by her reaction and wasn't sure if she was having second thoughts about taking me on as a client for the evening. "Are you sure you want to do this with me?"

"Yes, I am sure, Edward...now I need this off!" She popped off all of the buttons from my shirt in her haste to remove it. I pulled the fabric down my arms and flung the garmet on the floor.

She began to pull at my belt, but I stopped her hands. "Not yet, Bella."

"Why not?"

Hell, she may dictate what happens while we are together, but I want to make her want me so badly, she begs.

"Because I want you to beg for it."

"Please, Edward...I want you."

"I know you do, Bella, but I need to hear you beg. Really beg."

I started to unbuckle my belt as she began to squirm up against the back of the sofa, rubbing her legs together to gain some friction. I grabbed her hips to still her movements, and she took that as a sign to wrap her legs around me, but I halted her advances by shaking my head.

"No Bella. You are not ready for me yet," I reprimanded.

"Yes, I am! I'm ready!" She pouted, continuing with her squirming.

"I'll be the judge of that," I purred as I nibbled on her earlobe and reached under the hem of her dress, surprised to find the center of her panties were damp. _I didn't think hookers could get turned on so quickly._ I shook off that last thought as I cupped her pussy with my hand, gently squeezing with my palm, and hummed my appreciation of her eagerness into her ear... but she's still hadn't _truly_ begged.

I pulled the bottom of her dress and hoisted it over her head. I would have expected to see sexy lingerie, considering her profession, but instead she had on a mismatched beige bra with blue, cotton panties. Maybe the client she was supposed to meet earlier liked this kind of non-descript attire on his women. Personally, I didn't really care, although it would have been nice to see her in some black, lacy bra/thong combo.

I locked eyes with her, but she looked away as if she were shy or embarrassed - again, not a reaction I would have expected from an experienced escort. _Maybe she's new to the business._ My eyes traveled down to appraise her body and I noticed a sweet, innocent blush sprawled across her face and chest. That was enough to light a fire underneath me. I grabbed her head with one hand as I wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her to me as I pressed my lips to hers. I pulled back as the thought of whether I should be kissing a hooker entered my mind and moved on to safer territory. I began with her neck, tasting her skin from the base of her ear to the dip above her collarbone.

"I need this off!" I repeated her words as I reached my hands behind her back to unclasp her bra and tossed the offending item behind me towards the door.

I continued my assault on her body with my lips and tongue and sucked her right nipple into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue. She released a shuddering moan, and I squeezed and tugged on her left breast as I gently bit down on the right.

"Oh, fuck, Edward....please."

Closer, but still not. quite. there.

I switched sides and started to hum and groan with her left nipple between my lips. Her back arched off the back of the couch as her head reared back, her breathing getting heavier. I slowly slid my hands down to grip her hips as my mouth led a parade of hot, wet kisses between her breasts, over her stomach, and ultimately reaching her belly button. I dipped my tongue inside and surrounded the opening with my mouth. I created a little suction with my lips and continued with the humming as she started writhing her body wildly beneath me.

"Edw...Edward....please...."

By this point, she was bent backwards over the back of the couch, her head resting on the cushions of the sofa and her toes barely touching the floor. Her breathing had gotten more ragged, her moans growing slightly louder. My hands moved to slowly remove her panties as my lips roamed to the spot over her right hip bone. I left a wet kiss at the site and blew cool air over it. Her hands tangled in my hair, pulling tightly in her quest to get me to concede, but I pressed my teeth on her skin and delivered a passionate nip.

"Unnggghhh! Pl-l-l-eeaasseee, Edward, fuuucckkk mmmeeee!!!"

_Yes, now she's ready._ I smugly smirked to myself. Quickly, I removed my jeans and boxer briefs, reaching for the condom in the pocket and unrolling it with lightning speed. I helped Bella up from the couch and turned her around, lifting her left knee to rest on the back of the couch while the other leg supported her weight on the floor. In one swift move, I thrust inside of her, and we both yelled out at the sensation.

I grasped her hips tightly and set a fast pace, pounding harder and deeper inside of her with each thrust. The crescendo of her moans and pleas jarred my memory of her telling me to talk dirty to her.

"Fuck, Bella, you're pussy is so hot and wet."

"YESSSS! MORE!"

"You feel so tight around my cock, Bella. I want to fuck you for hours!"

"Ohhhh God!"

I grabbed at her long, brown hair and wrapped my hand in it, giving a gentle yank to pull her head up. The sound of wet skin slapping against wet skin echoed through the room and I could feel my orgasm beginning to build. I looked down between us and noticed a freckle on her left ass cheek; I smacked it. Hard.

"Aaaahhhhh!!"

"Yeahhhh. You like to be spanked, don't you, you bad girl?" She didn't answer me, so I spanked her harder and tugged on her hair again.

"YEESSSS!!"

I smiled to myself, loving how this girl liked it rough. I looked up at the windows overlooking the strip and noticed a faint light from the foyer casting a silhouette reflection of us in the windows.

"Look at our reflection, Bella. Can you see me fucking this sweet pussy of yours?"

"Ohh shit, Ed...Edward, I'm...gonna....come!"

Suddenly, I felt her body spasm and clamp down on my dick, and the sensation sent my body into the vortex of orgasmic bliss. I laid spent, sweating, and panting on top of her body with my chest pressed against her back and my cock still inside her. I slowly withdrew from her and disposed of the condom in the garbage can by the desk in the corner of the room.

This was where I didn't think through this whole "hooker" thing. Was there a rule on "no intimacy" afterwards? Was she just going to get dressed and ask for her money so she could leave? I frowned at that thought, because for some reason I wanted her to stick around for a little bit. I liked hanging out with her down at the bar, and I could tell from our conversation that she was intelligent. I wouldn't be opposed to her to keeping me company for a while. Hell, maybe even spend the night with me, but I didn't know how much that oughta cost me. How much was Richard Gere charged in _Pretty Woman_?

I looked up at Bella as she scampered around the living area, attempting to find her clothes that I had haphazardly flung as I removed them from her body. She appeared to be having some sort of post-coital freak out, and I felt a little bad about her leaving right away.

"Bella?"

She whipped her head up to look at me as she reached for her bra by the coat closet door.

"I'm going to order some room service since I haven't eaten dinner yet - would you care to stay and join me?" I flashed her my most charming smile, and she stared at me like a deer in headlights. _Surely, most clients wouldn't ask for her to stay for dinner._

"Um, well....I don't want to be a bother."

I scoffed at her worry and insisted she stay for dinner. She finally acquiesced, and I handed her the menu and told her to order me the Kobe burger and onion rings and get whatever she wanted for herself. She gave me a small smile and a nod and sat down at the desk to call in the order. I informed her that I was going to jump in the shower since our food wouldn't be delivered for another thirty minutes. She blushed and looked down at her feet as they shuffled across the carpet. She peered up at me through her lashes, and I felt my cock begin to harden again. _This must be one of her hooker tricks - playing the shy little girl to get the men to give her what ever the fuck she wants - and I am just the sucker to fall for it._

"Can I join you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I hesitated for a brief second before I blurted out, "Of course!"

~*~*~*~

After a mutual hand-job session in the shower and a quick romp on the bathroom vanity, our food arrived and we settled onto the couch to watch a little TV as we ate our meal.

"I really had a great time with you tonight, Edward."

I turned to smile widely at the sincerity in her voice. "Me too."

_And queue the post-coital awkwardness, again._

She fumbled with her hands and appeared reluctant to leave as she thanked me for dinner and stood, grabbing for her purse. Honestly, I felt reluctant for her to leave too. I had a great time with her this evening, and I didn't really want her to go. Maybe if I got the job I was interviewing for tomorrow, I could look her up again when I moved to Vegas. But what if I _didn't_ get the job?

"Wait. Please, don't go."

She whirled around and looked at me like I'd grown a third eye. "What?"

Exhaling sharply, I confessed that I wanted her to stay the night with me. She shook her head and claimed she had meetings in the morning and should get home. I gently grabbed her hand and pulled her back to me, pleading with my eyes.

"I want you to stay with me tonight, Bella." _Fuck, I had better call the bank and apply for a loan in the morning...this slumber party is going to cost me big time._

She agreed to stay with a slight giggle after I poured on some heavy pouting, lip protrusion, and sensual caresses over her breasts and ass.

We spent the rest of the evening curled up on the couch, complete with a heavy make-out session, until I pulled her into the bedroom with me. At first, she seemed hesitant to enter, but hell, after everything we'd done in the last few hours, sleeping in a bed together should have been the least of her worries. Of course, the fuck fest wasn't over, and we christened the bed twice before we fell asleep, completely spent and sated.

I woke up around seven thirty and rolled over to find Bella's side of the bed empty. I called out her name, thinking maybe she was in the living room, but there was no answer. I rolled out of bed, heading for the bathroom when I noticed a wad of cash and a note laying on her pillow. At first I thought maybe she reimbursed me for the meal we had delivered from room service, but on a second glance, I noticed there was eight hundred dollars.

What the fuck!?!?!

I looked down at the note, written on a piece of card stock:

_Edward- _

_I've never been with a man like you before, it was a night I will never forget. _

_Thank you. I hope I left you enough. I never asked how much you charged. _

_Good luck at your meeting today. Call me next time you are in town._

_Bella _

A man like me?!

How much I charged?!

What the hell did she mean by that?

I flipped the card over and nearly shit myself:

Dr. Isabella Swan

Director of Medical Sales

Cullen Pharmaceuticals

Las Vegas, Nevada

(702) 555-7139

**_Damn._**


	2. Chapter 2 Desert Ice

~*~Bella POV~*~

Warm...

Warm and comfy...

Warm and comfy and sore...

As that last thought registered in my mind, my eyes flew open as I realized where I was - Edward's bed. My heart rate tripled and my stomach began to flip. I spent the night with a male prostitute!

Oh. My. God.

I couldn't complain, really. I just had the best sex of my life. No, scratch that...I just had the best _night_ of my life! The sex was hot, intense, and primal. The times in between our bouts of fornication were light, friendly, and seemed natural - as if we have been lifelong friends. We spent a little time joking and laughing with each other about random things, but we never really touched on any personal topics. Does he have a day job? A family? Kids?

I gently raised Edward's arm from around my waist, but he snorted and mumbled in his sleep and I dropped his arm back into its resting place. He pulled me closer to him in his sleep and for a moment I relished the feeling of his luscious body wrapped around mine, but I knew this little lust-cocoon needed to be vacated. I shifted my torso away from his and slithered out from under his arm, replacing my body with a pillow. He gripped it tighter to himself, and I smiled at his sleeping form.

_He seems like a really great guy...maybe that's all part of his "business" act_.

I climbed out of bed, searching in the dark room for my clothes and purse. I needed to pee badly, but I didn't want to wake him up, so I vowed to stop in the ladies room in the lobby on my way out. Blindly, I rummaged through my bag, searching for a piece of paper to write him a note, but only found gum wrappers and a few business cards. Not thinking about the implications of anyone from my job discovering what I did last night, I jotted a quick note on the back of a card and produced the wad of cash I withdrew from the bank yesterday. _Looks like rent will be late this month_. I had no clue how much spending the whole night with him would normally cost, but I assumed it was a lot, so I swallowed the guilt of what I had done and laid the money and my note on the pillow. I tiptoed out of the bedroom, through the living area and slunk out the front door of Edward's suite.

The audible click of the door closing behind me ricocheted throughout the hallway. I glanced down at my cell phone and gasped as I realized it was nearly 6:45am and I had a conference call in forty-five minutes. I dashed down towards the bank of elevators, frantically pushing the call button. As I finally reached the lobby, I bolted out to the street, foregoing the lobby's restroom, and hailed a cab.

I made it to the office with three minutes to spare, after taking a two minute shower at home, and made a quick call to my assistant to confirm my schedule today. I settled into my desk and dialed up the conference call link, notifying the other participants of my attendance, and hit the mute button so they couldn't hear me slurp my coffee over the intercom. As the other call participants droned on about cost effectiveness and recent research findings, I dabbled on some light makeup and combed out my shower-wet hair. By the end of the call, I had successfully avoided listening to the CFO's whining and manufacturing department's bitching, when there was a light knock on my door.

"Come in."

"Dr. Swan, the board committee needs another person to be present for a panel interview at ten o'clock. Would you be able to sit in?" My assistant, Marjorie, asked from the doorway.

"Sure," I nodded. "What position are they interviewing for?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I wasn't aware we had any upper level positions open."

"Yeah, me either. Okay, yes, let them know I'll be there."

She smiled and closed my door softly, leaving me to the never-ending piles of work accumulated on my desk.

~*~Edward POV~*~

I had mulled this over in my head for the last hour. Should I go through with this interview? Or do I flake off? No, no I couldn't just flake off. This would launch my career, and I couldn't let a silly misunderstanding between me and one of their employees cause me to throw away my future.

So there I was, sitting in the lobby of Cullen Pharmaceuticals, nervous as a motherfucker - sweaty palms and all - waiting to be interviewed for a Vice President position. My stomach was in knots, and I had taken two shits before I left the hotel. I probably should have raided the in-room mini bar and indulged myself in a little liquid courage in the cab over here, but I didn't think about it at the time. However, I was thankful that I didn't eat breakfast, or I might have had the sudden urge to puke in the ficus tree sitting in the corner of the lobby. I was unsure of what I was more nervous about - the interview or possibly running into Bella while I was here.

The money she left this morning was weighing down my pocket like a fifty pound anvil. I didn't understand how things got so misconstrued? I felt like a fucking asshole for thinking _she_ was an escort, when the whole time she thought _I_ was. What did I do or say that gave her that vibe? Fuck, I know I had to have done something in my past to have this happen now. You know, karma's a bitch. Jesus, how did things get so messed up?

"Mr. Masen? The board will see you now," a short, stocky woman in a navy blue dress called out from the reception desk.

"Thank you."

I followed her down a hallway and into a large conference room. I introduced myself to the few gentlemen that were milling about, filling their coffees and pocketing donuts. A tall, balding man stood at the far end of the table and introduced himself as Carlisle Cullen, President and CEO of the company, and offered me a warm, comforting smile as pointed towards the dreaded "hot seat" at the opposite end of the table.

"Committee members, would you please take your seats so we may begin?" he addressed the people wandering about the conference room and they quickly scrambled for their chairs.

As the last of the members settled into their spots, the conference room door opened behind me and the gentle scent of berries filled my nose.

"Ah, Dr. Swan, thank you for joining us this morning." Carlisle smiled at Bella as she skirted around the table to the empty seat directly to my right. "We were just about to begin."

I swallowed hard at the sight of her - damp, soft waves in her hair, a black pencil skirt and light blue sweater - and willed my nerves to stay in check. Without looking in my direction, she put her notebook and pen down on the table and turned to pour herself a glass of water from the cart in the corner of the room. She seemed quite put together and very professional, and I felt a pang of guilt over believing she was a hooker. My heart was having palpitations, fretting over both the weight that this interview held and the reaction Bella would have once when she realized it was _me_ who was being interviewed. As she returned to her seat, she pulled her chair out and sat down, stretching her arm out to set her glass of water on the table.

"AHH!!" she shrieked, accidentally spilling her water as she made eye contact with me and recognizing me in an instant. "Shit!"

Instantly, I was out of my seat and sprinting to the refreshment cart for napkins. I handed a few to Bella and she proceeded to blot the liquid from her blouse. I settled back into my seat as a board member mopped up the puddle on the table.

"Dr. Swan, are you all right? You look like you have seen a ghost?" Carlisle asked, a look of genuine concern on his face.

She narrowed her eyes at me briefly and sighed, her cheeks flaming red as she turned to face the rest of the members, sporting a tight smile.

"Yes, sorry. I'm fine. I, uh, I thoughtIsawabug."

She angled her chair away from me and focused her attention on Carlisle, effectively giving me the cold shoulder. He began with introductions of the attendees around the table, ultimately finishing up with Bella. She turned her head briefly in my general direction, offered a curt nod, and returned her attention back to Carlisle.

_Jesus, she must be so pissed._

"Well, now with the formalities out of the way, Mr. Masen, would you please be so kind as to tell us a little about yourself?"

I smiled enthusiastically and dove into my education and job history, along with my accomplishments. Once the typical interview questions had been answered - _What are your strengths? Describe your leadership style. Describe a time when you had to make an unpopular decision._ - some of the members started asking more personal and less formal questions. Those were geared more toward getting to know me as a person versus me as an employee. As I concluded one of my responses, Bella raised her hand as if we were in school, and waited until I had turned my attention to her.

"Mister, uh, Masen is it?" She glanced down at my resume as if she didn't already know my last name from all the introductions today. "Would you be willing to enlighten the board with any extracurricular activities you are involved in?" A smug, tight-lipped smile crept across her face.

I cleared my throat and squirmed a bit in my chair. I knew she was referring to last night and her misconception of me being an escort or whatever, but I turned my full attention to her and attempted to dazzle her with my best, heart-breaking smile.

"Absolutely, Dr. Swan. I volunteer most of my spare time to a local soup kitchen in Port Angeles and dedicate one week per year to Habitat for Humanity, helping to build homes for the less fortunate in the greater Seattle area. As a matter of fact, I also donate blood on a regular basis and coach a Little League baseball team. Other than those activities, I don't typically partake in many other social _affairs_."

Her smile fell instantly, and now she was giving me a major stink-eye.

Thankfully, another committee member spoke up with another question, and I was able to recover from Bella's death glare. The interview finally started to lighten up from the starchy, traditional questions and seemed more like a group of friends getting acquainted with a newbie to the club. We were laughing and joking with each other. It was clear these people were friends as well as co-workers, and I could easily see myself working with each of them, maybe even grabbing beers after office hours with of few of them.

Well, except for the iceburg-in-a-skirt who sat to my right. Bella's arms were crossed tightly over her chest and she glared daggers at the copy of my resume in front of her.

Carlisle cleared his throat and asked me if I had any questions. I refocused my eyes to where he was standing at the far end of the table and directed my generic questions to Carlisle about the company's mission statement and financial goals.

Bella was sitting stone-still as my interview concluded. Carlisle thanked me for traveling all the way from Washington and crossed the room to shake my hand. His grip was strong and stiff, but his smile was warm and sincere.

"Edward, it was a pleasure meeting you. I will deliberate with the board committee later this week and get back to you with our decision by Friday."

I returned his smile. "Thank you, sir, for giving me an opportunity to come and meet with you."

I turned to grab my portolio off the table, noticing Bella looking at me with a vexing stare. Her jaw clenched, but she didn't speak or move. I opened my mouth to say something to her, but Carlisle interrupted.

"Dr. Swan? Would you have a few minutes to show Mr. Masen around the office?"

Bella whipped her head to glare at him and offered a loud huff as her mouth opened and closed several times, but no sound came out.

Carlisle returned her pointed stare and continued, "Besides, if he is offered the position, he would be your boss."

"What?! What do you mean 'my boss'? You have got to be kidding me! What position would he be filling?" She pointed an accusing finger in my direction, speaking about me as if I wasn't there.

Carlisle stood with both hands on the back of a chair as he explained the situation to Bella. "Well, do you remember our restructuring plan that the board designed earlier this year? You were on that committee, right?"

"Yes."

"Well then, you should recall that we decided to create a new vice president position to help take some pressure off of the sales and marketing directors."

"Oh, right," Bella mumbled as she gazed down to the floor.

"I encouraged you to apply for the job, but you refused."

Bella released a loud sigh and watched her fumbling hands in her lap as Carlisle waited for her response. It seemed like several minutes passed, but it was probably only about twenty seconds.

"Bella? Will you be able to or not?"

"Be able to what?" She snapped her head back up to meet his eyes, her brows furrowed.

"Show Mr. Masen here around." Carlisle waved his hand towards me, and Bella lifted her head to look at me.

"Fine," she replied, sounding utterly deflated.

"Great!" He turned his genuine smile and attention back to me. "Edward, have a safe flight home, and I will speak to you sometime on Friday."

Again, I gave him my thanks and he exited the room quickly, taking a file from a tall, brunette standing in the hallway. I turned my head to look back at Bella as she stood from her chair. An awkward silence fell between us.

Finally alone with her, the need to talk about what happened last night burned like venom inside of me. "Bella, I-"

"Shut up!" she hushed me quietly and stalked to the door way, peering out to see if there was anyone lurking nearby. Quickly, she closed the conference room door as well as the blinds on the interior window overlooking the reception area.

"Are you stalking me?" she whispered-yelled at me, poised with her hands on her hips.

"What? Hell no. I came here for this interview. Trust me, once I saw on your business card that you worked here, I freaked out."

"You freaked out? YOU FREAKED OUT? Jesus, Edward, I nearly had a coronary when I recognized you."

I smiled ruefully as I remembered her expression of shock when she saw me. "I'm sorry I surprised you."

"Surprised? HA! A surprise would have been flowers or a phone call. But this...this..." She waved her arm around the room aimlessly, unable to find the right words to express her frustration.

"I know. I almost didn't come, but I knew I needed to do this for myself, and I wasn't going to let some woman stand in the way of my career."

At her sudden intake of air, I closed my eyes as the bite of the words I spoke registered in my brain. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

Bella's only response was a loud huff and a dramatic rolling of her pretty brown eyes as she plopped down in one of the conference room chairs.

"Bella, look, I don't know where our messages got crossed last night, but somehow you were under the impression I was a male escort, right?" I leaned down to try to look into her eyes, but she turned her face away from me. I noticed her cheeks were blushing, and I knew she was probably embarrassed to talk about this. She nodded in response but stayed quiet for a moment and then she pulled her hands up to her face, shielding it from me.

I knelt down in front of her, reaching into my pocket and pulled out the cash she left for me this morning. I gently grabbed her by one of her wrists and pulled her hand down from her face and placed the money in it, curling her fingers over the folded bills. I looked up into her eyes and saw some collected moisture gathering, and my heart broke a bit. I felt like a fucking tool having been the one to point out her error, but I knew I should apologize, considering I thought the same thing about her.

"Bella, I do have a little confession to make."

"Oh God." A look of pure humiliation crossed her face. I could only assume what was running through her mind.

"I actually thought _you_ were an, uhh, escort."

"WHAT!" She stood up so fast from the chair I nearly lost my balance and had to catch myself on the edge of the conference table. "How could you have possibly thought that?" She started shaking her head and darting her eyes around frantically, similar to her post-coital freak out last night. "Oh my God, I am completely mortified."

"Please let me explain." I spoke in my most soothing tone, trying to keep her calm and hoped she would listen to my reasoning. After a few seconds, she released a deep breath and carefully sat back down in her chair. I stood up briefly to pull out the chair next to hers and swiveled it to face her. I reached for her right hand and held it between both of mine, and I told the whole story - complete with Emmett's bachelor party antics and Jasper's mysterious knowledge of the signals of a prostitute.

Thankfully, she listened quietly and seemed to pay close attention as I choked on the explanation of why I asked her to stay with me last night and how I felt this morning when I woke up and she was gone - prior to me finding the note. Then, of course, I explained the tsunami of emotions once I found the money and her card and how I nearly flaked out of the interview because I was nervous about seeing her again.

I finished with my spiel and stared quietly at her, continuing to hold her hand in mine. She blinked a few times, not quite looking in my eyes as she mulled over everything I had said. Finally, she gently squeezed my hand and the side of her mouth lifted into a small smile. My heart fluttered a few times as I realized she understood, and I hoped she would forgive me, or at least let go and put this crazy situation behind us.

Slowly, she stood from her chair, still holding my hand, and pulled me to stand with her. She picked up my portfolio and carried it with her as she led me around the table and opened the conference room door. Releasing my hand, she reached up to turn off the room lights and whispered seductively, "Well, then let me show you around, Mr. Masen."


	3. Chapter 3 The Verdict

**A/N: Thanks to everone who has read and reviewed!!**

**Special thanks to my beta for this chapter, Twilightzoner. Thank you for graciously dealing with my verb tense issues! =)**

**To Heather and Brooke... this chapter is for you h00rs!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, sadly. No copyright infringement is intended. The plot of this story is all mine. Please do not steal. Kthxbai!! **

* * *

CHAPTER 3 The Verdict

EPOV

My return trip home continued to be plagued with ridiculous events, just like last 24 hours. The plane landed at SeaTac an hour late due to horrendous weather, my pants were stained from the cherry Kool-Aid an air–sick child had projected from his previously ingested drink all over my lap, and I lost my parking pass for the day-stay lot and had to pay the full amount for five days. This entire trip was a clusterfuck.

After arguing with the parking lot attendant and forking over the last of my cash to pay the fee, I merged onto the highway, heading home, and decided to call Jasper to thank him for his extremely inaccurate knowledge of hookers in Vegas. I knew he was going to give me shit about pursuing one, considering all the play I get at home, but I had been intrigued by his confidence in his resources during Emmett's bachelor party, and when the opportunity finally presented itself - almost exactly as he described – I tried out his theory.

I pushed the hands-free Bluetooth button on the steering wheel and waited for the generic, computerized voice to answer my connection.

_"Please say the name of the person you wish to reach."_

"Jasper."

_"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. Did you say 'Emmett'?"_

"No."

_"Did you say 'Mom'?"_

"NO."

_"Did you say 'Find me the nearest dry cleaner'?"_

"Jesus, fuck! NO!"

_"Thank you. Calling 'Jessica'."_

ARRRGGHHHH!!!

I pressed the disconnect button several times but it didn't release the call before her nasally voice picked-up on the other end.

"Edward? Like…Oh my God, I never thought you'd call!"

"Sorry! Wrong number!" I pressed the disconnect button again - this time successfully - and snatched my cell phone from the car charger in the console.

I searched my contact list while attempting to keep one eye on the road to avoid an accident. I scrolled through the list, finding Jasper's name, and pressed "call" just as an incoming call rang through. For some reason God was punishing me because as I scrambled to reject Jessica's returned call, Jasper picks up and suddenly… we are on three-way.

Fuck my life.

"Why the hell did you hang up on me, Edward!?" Jessica yelled through the receiver.

"Uhh…hello? Who is this?" Jasper asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"Hey, Jazz, I'm here," I replied. "Jessica, hang up the phone. I didn't mean to call you." I snapped at her, not in the mood to hearing her whining.

"Who the hell is 'Jazz'?"

"Look, Jessica, hang up and I will call you back, okay? Somehow we got connected on a conference call..."

"Whatever. Like…I don't believe you will call me since you never did after that night we hooked up."

Jasper, the fucker, just laughed but didn't offer any assistance to get rid of Jessica. He sat quietly listening to the drama unfold as I tried to convince her that once I was finished with my conversation with Jasper, I'd call her back. She knew that was an empty promise, but eventually relented and hung up.

"Jesus. Finally," I mumbled as I heard a faint click over the connection.

"Who was that?"

"Remember that woman I hooked up with the night you met Alice? I think they worked together or something." I feigned interest then and now.

"Oh, yeah, I do remember. You were a great wingman that night. Thanks for that by the way," sincerity evident in his voice. He was quiet for a few seconds and then blurted, "You 'pity fucked' that girl, right?"

I made a gagging sound as my reply and then shuddered at the memory of the night I refer to as "Pussygate'09." Jasper had dragged me out one night to a dive bar in Port Angeles, needing "guy time" away from his psycho-bitch girlfriend, Maria. He had convinced himself that he was ending their relationship that night, after he was riled up on liquid courage. Maria had tried to rule Jasper's life - telling him when and where he could go and with whom. They had only been dating three months by that point, and he was adamant about breaking things off with her. She pitched a fit about him going out with me that night, but he stormed out of his house, calling me on his cell as he hopped in his car and drove to pick me up. We made it to some seedy saloon near downtown, and he made a beeline for the bar. Four shots of whiskey and three beers later, Jasper looked up from the table toward the door, eyes bulging like he just saw a ghost. I craned my neck to see a tiny brunette and an average-looking blonde walk in. Jasper whispered, "I want her," and stood up from our table and sauntered over to the tiny girl, taking her by her hand without speaking a word and leading her to our spot. The blonde reluctantly followed, and we both watched in awe as Jasper and "Alice" began talking in quiet whispers and making out right in front of my eyes. I wasn't attracted to the blonde girl, but if I could help my buddy out, then I'd make the most of the situation work to get some action for myself.

A quiet huff on the phone line broke my reverie. Jasper's television blared in the background, and the sound of him settling into his leather recliner seeped through the receiver.

"I have something else I'd like to talk about, Jazz."

"Okay."

"Remember Emmett's bachelor party and the little adventure we took that night to look for hookers?"

He laughed lightly, "Yeah, I do. Why?"

I dove into my story of how I was nervous about my interview the previous night and decided to go to the hotel bar for a drink to settle my nerves. Explaining how I met a beautiful woman there and we ended up in my room having the hottest sex of my life, I eventually confessed that the whole time I thought she was an escort.

"You didn't...!?" Jasper chuckled.

"I did. Everything happened just how you described. I can't believe I stooped so low to actually go through with fucking one. I mean, she wasn't one, but I didn't realize it at the time."

"Yeah, the guys wouldn't believe 'Playboy Eddie' resorted to soliciting a prostitute in order to get his kicks." I could imagine him shaking his head in disbelief at the thought. I found myself doing the same.

"Edward! You are a disgusting, whore-fucking creep! I can't believe I was waiting for you to call me. I have to tell Alice about this..."

"Jessica?!"

"Yes, it's me, asshole. I can't believe you troll for hookers! You are one nasty motherfucker! Don't call me... like ever!"

Her phone slammed down, and I sat silently for a moment contemplating my reaction. Embarrassed that she heard? Mortified that she will tell Alice and her friends? Elated that I never have to hear from her sorry ass again? Before I settled on an emotion, Jasper exploded into a loud guffaw.

He spoke between laughs, "Dude... that was... the funniest shit... I have heard... in a long time..."

"Oh, just wait. It gets better..."

As I pulled into the garage of my condo building, I sped up the ramps to my third floor parking spot and shut the engine off. I sat in the car, not wanting to take the chance of any neighbors eavesdropping on my confession of the scandalous sexcapades I had while out of town.

I relayed all the details of the near-catastrophic interview, whirlwind tour of the company's office space, and the, err, in's and out's of Bella's private office.

"She asked you to put it _where_?"

"You heard me, Jazz. She practically begged me to stuff it between those luscious tits of hers... and I obliged, of course," I replied, a smug smile plastered on my face.

"Were you still in her office?"

"Nope... on the elevator as we left for lunch." I could hear his mouth gaping like a fish on the other end of the phone line. "It wasn't like she wanted me to slide it between her ass cheeks - not that I wouldn't have minded that either."

I don't understand why Jasper was so shocked by this. It's not like I was giving her something that she didn't ask for. People do it on a daily basis, some even several times a day.

"I just can't believe after everything that happened between you two, that she'd still ask for your business card and then want you to stuff it in her bra."

"Hey... What can I say?! She's a dirty little minx... and I love her!" I laughed loudly to myself, my voice ricocheting throughout the car's interior. Jasper groaned.

"On a serious note, Edward, do you think you got the job?"

"I really don't know. I think the interview went well, since Bella didn't call me out, but I don't know if after this afternoon's, err, session if things would be too weird between us if I actually took the job. Know what I mean?" I closed my eyes and shook my head in disappointment. "After what happened this afternoon, I might have fucked this whole thing up."

~*~*~*~*~

BPOV

"So, in here is the copy room..." I waved my hand in the air, randomly pointing out departments and work spaces within Cullen Pharmaceuticals as I lured Edward toward my private office. Thankfully, Marge had gone to lunch so no one was around to see us scramble through the door and lock the handle behind us. The moment the click was heard, I grabbed him around the waist and pulled him against me, needing his body touching mine.

"So... since you aren't an escort..." I pressed my lips against his, running my fingers up the back of his neck and into his hair.

"MmmHmm..."

"...and I'm not an escort..." His lips began to travel down my jaw and stopped once he met the juncture of my shoulder. "Why don't we try this all again, hmm?"

"You'd have to be completely quiet, Bella," he whispered against my skin.

"Edward, do you think I would put my job in jeopardy by getting caught having sex in my office?"

With his hands kneading my ass, he pulled his head back to look at me as he spoke, "No, but I don't want to jeopardize my chance of getting the job by getting caught having sex in your office."

Well, that sobered me up.

"You're right." I don't understand why I can't think clearly around him. It's like our hormones completely take over our bodies. One look into his vivid, green eyes and my adult brain regresses into a horny teenager - common sense flying right out the window.

I stepped away from him, taking a deep, cleansing breath as I tried to collect my thoughts and beat down the urge to ride him like a cowgirl on top of my desk. Just the thought of fucking him that way stirred up more hormones, and my breathing suddenly picked up. Edward must have noticed this, because he smiled at me wickedly, and _that _does funny things to my vagina.

"Come on, Hotstuff, let's catch a bite to eat." I froze immediately, recalling that he had to catch a flight back to Washington today. "Oh, shit! What time is your flight?!"

"Four twenty-five."

I smiled widely, knowing we could spend a little more time together before he flew off into the sunset. If I was honest with myself, I'd admit that I was worried he'd either not be offered the job or he would reject it. A sharp pain hit me in the chest, nearly knocking the wind out of me at the thought of him refusing the position -- I might never see or hear from him again. He _must_ be offered the job. He _must_ accept it. He _must_ to move to Vegas. I _have_ to be with him, again. Always. _Whoa._

"Sushi?"

"Hmmm... sushi." Another wicked smile crept across his face and my nipples stood erect. This man would be my undoing.

*~*~*~*

We entered the restaurant and after being seated in a quiet booth near the back, placed our order and made small talk. There was a small fragment of awkwardness, but not enough to ruin the mood. We'd been in a public establishment before, but this time seemed more like a real date.

As our miso soup arrived, Edward stood to remove his suit jacket and tie. I couldn't help but to watch his arms and chest move and flex as he did this and just like that, I was back to the naughty, horny teenager again.

When he sat back down, we continued our conversations about the pros and cons of living in Vegas, trying to keep the situation light and comfortable. He laughed when I told him about crazy things that tourists do, which included picking up prostitutes on the strip. He admitted that he never set out with those intentions last night and that he had never sought the company of a hooker before. I laughed and teased him that that's what all the men say, but I could tell his face was serious and silently imploring me to believe him. I knew I had no leg to stand on with that because I was in the same boat. I'd never paid a man for sex, and I certainly didn't go to the bar with that as my plan either. We smiled at each other, understanding the level of fuckuppery in our situation and trusting the other with protecting our professional lives with this secret.

Our platters arrived, and I asked the server to bring me a fork.

"You don't know how to use chopsticks?"

"Yes. No. I mean, I know how to use them, I just can't seem to keep a hold of anything." I felt my cheeks blush with embarrassment, and I looked down into my lap to hide my face.

"It takes some practice." He shrugged, and I silently thanked him for not trying to push me to attempt it.

As I waited for my fork's delivery, I watched as Edward skillful situated the chopsticks between his fingers. Oh, what those fingers could do. My breathing hitched as I remembered the feeling of his talented hands on my body.

"How hot do you like it?"

Snapping from my daydream, I looked at him confused.

"What?"

He pointed his chopsticks to the wasabi on the condiment platter between us. He mixed a dab of it into the soy sauce and looked up to my face, waiting for my answer.

Another surge of hormones hit me as his eyes met mine, and I couldn't help the words that poured from my mouth.

"I like it really, _really_ hot."

I smirked as I dragged out the last word and raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him to argue. To further punctuate my insinuation, I slipped out of my right shoe and ran my toes up the inside of his calf. His stirring of the soy sauce faltered, spilling some of the mixture on the table. He countered my action with a raised eyebrow of his own and trapped my foot between his knees.

"You, uhh, want to lick... my chopstick?" I tried not to laugh at the absurdity of his question, but a giggle escaped, and I nodded my head and leaned closer to him across the table.

I flicked my tongue out as I took the wooden utensil in my mouth and ran it around the tip. I closed my eyes and moaned softly as I sucked the remnants of the wasabi mixture. I open my eyes and found Edward's hooded with lust and his mouth gaping. I winked at him playfully as I released his chopstick from my lips.

"Your chopstick, Edward.... Mmmm, it's the best I've ever had."

I turned toward my platter of sushi, stabbing wildly with my fork and dunking my catch into the wasabi bath. Playing coy, I smiled sweetly at Edward as I took each bite, occasionally reaching over to steal a California roll from his plate as he hijacked a Seattle roll, or two, from mine. We ate in silence, but I noticed that when Edward was not focused on his food, he was looking at me - giving me the look that said he was hungrier for what I had to offer him than what was on his plate.

As we finished the last few pieces of sushi, I reestablished my foot assault, starting at his calf and slowly climbing up to the inside of his thigh. By the time the server returned with our check, Edward had slouched against the back of the booth, pressing his crotch directly in my foot's path. I felt his hardness with my toes, and it ignited a fire deep within me. I needed this man. Now. I couldn't wait any longer. I didn't know how we would get by Marge and into my office without her getting nosy. I'd have to think of some kind of excuse as to why I needed to be alone with him after he should have been gone already after his interview.

I looked up to Edward and noticed the desire and need in his eyes, too, and suddenly, I needed to clear my head to figure out a way to be together before he had to leave for the airport. I excused myself to go to the ladies room as Edward paid for our lunch.

I was thankful there was no one in the restroom as I stood in front of the mirror and stared at myself.

Maybe Marge won't be back from lunch yet? Maybe I could call her ahead of time and ask her to go to the records department for a file?

As I was contemplating another scenario to distract my assistant so that I could lure Edward back to my office and have my wicked way with him on my desk, the ladies' room door opened, and Edward slid in, flipping the lock.

"What are you doing in here?" I scolded.

"You."

Oh my.

Before I could truly register what was happening, Edward had me pinned against the cold, tile wall, kissing me feverishly and grinding his steel cock against my hip. Once it sunk in, my body responded automatically as I ran my fingers into his hair, pulling and scratching my nails against his scalp.

"Fuck, Bella. You are driving me insane."

I could only manage a moan in response as his lips traveled down my neck and his hands pushed up my skirt. His fingers reached the top of my panties and he bent down to one knee and pulled them all the way down, kissing my mound and making one, agonizingly slow pass with his tongue against my clit. I gasped at the contact and my eyes fluttered shut. As he stood, he unbuckled his belt and tugged the zipper down, allowing his pants to fall to his ankles. He released his cock from the confines of his boxer briefs and rolled on a condom.

"I want you," he growled in my ear. His lips closed in on mine, as I whispered my consent.

In one swift movement, my body was lifted, legs wrapped around his waist, as he thrust into me deeply. We both moaned at the feeling of being joined together and suddenly, it was like a frenzy. He was pumping his hips and kissing me - I clawed at his back and locked my ankles behind him. Muffling our moans and grunts into each other's mouths, our movements became more erratic and needy. In this position, his body was connecting with every part of mine that needed friction, and along with the excitement of fucking in a public place, he had me catapulting toward my climax.

"Don't stop, Edward... please."

His sounds became more guttural and his thrusting... more powerful.

"Oh God... yes..."

"Unngh... I need... you to... please... come, Bella..." His words punctuated each pounding he was giving me.

I tipped over the edge of my peak as he grunted out my name and dug his fingertips into my ass as he came. When his body stilled, he held me against the cool, tiled walls, and tried to catch his breath before releasing my legs to set my feet on the floor.

He disposed of the condom and cleaned up with paper towels as I scampered into a bathroom stall to pee and wipe myself up. When I opened the door, I found Edward standing against the sink with a sheepish smile on his face, twirling my panties on his finger.

"I figured you may want these back." He smirked as I leaned in for a kiss and snatched my undergarment from his hand.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back to him for a heated kiss.

"You can keep 'em, Mr. Masen. Consider it a, er, perk of the job," I purred, trailing a finger from his nose, down his chin and chest, and hooking it into the waistband of his pants. I tucked my panties inside and turned to unlock the ladies room door, Edward right behind me.

I cracked open the door, peeking to make sure no one was nearby to witness Edward walking out of the women's restroom. The coast was clear, so I swung the door wide, bumping into someone in the hall behind it.

A voice I would recognize anywhere called out to me and stopped me in my tracks. "Bella, glad I ran into you. I wanted to discuss what you thought about Mr. Mas-"

Carlisle.

~*~*~*~*~

EPOV

"...So, Jazz... that's how I fucked my entire future up."

I finished my story with a heavy sigh, knowing that being caught with a potential employee - in a very compromising situation by your possible employer - was surely going to throw a wrench in my candidacy for the Vice President of Sales and Marketing position at Cullen Pharmaceuticals.

"Yeah, man. I'd say you took the gold medal on this one."

Thanks for the support, jackass.

That was three days ago. After I had berated myself during the cab ride to the airport, sulked on the plane, and poured my heart out to Jasper, I went back to work at my sucky job, feeling sorry for myself for letting my dick talk me into this entire situation. I hadn't heard from Bella. Maybe she was feeling just as guilty as I was. Not about being with her, but about

letting our emotions cloud our judgment. I wanted to send her flowers to let her know that I was thinking of her, but I just couldn't convince myself that it was a good idea. Maybe Carlisle got angry with her. Oh God... I hope he didn't fire her!

Today I had awoken to a beautiful, cloudless sky - a rarity in Washington. It was mocking me, I was sure of it. I dragged myself out of bed, threw on the first semi-business attire I could find in my closet, and set off to the office. Everyone I passed on the street seemed chipper and "Happy TGIF!" Fuck them.

Today was going to suck ass because I was anticipating a call from Carlisle, telling me that they were not extending an offer to me. Which was fine, really. It was a long shot anyway.

I entered the lobby of the office, nodding my head in acknowledgement to smiling greeters and Friday well-wishers.

"Oh, Mr. Masen?" The scrawny receptionist called, "Your ten o'clock is here. They said they're early, but that they will wait."

"I wasn't aware I had a ten o'clock meeting."

Scrawny shrugged and pointed to the conference room. I marched into my office, powering up my PC to check my calendar. Nope... no ten o'clock meeting. I called up to the reception desk and asked her to check if the person had the correct day. She put me on hold - I assumed to rush into the conference room to inquire - and came back to the phone.

"Yes, sir. They said that you were made aware that you would speak on Friday."

Great. Just what I fucking needed today - a meeting with a client the purpose for which I had no recollection. I hated going into meetings unprepared.

Deciding to get this over with, I grabbed a handful of recent client folders and stalked to the conference room. I knocked lightly, closing my eyes and releasing a cleansing breath before I swung the door open and walked over the threshold.

My eyes widened in surprise, heart sputtered, and stomach dropped when I saw my visitor.

Bella.

I was unable to mask the smile that spread across my face, and I rushed to her and enveloped her in a hug. After a moment, she gently pushed against my chest and stepped away and looked nervously into my eyes.

"What's going on, Bella? Why are you here?"

"Carlisle sent me." Oh shit, this couldn't be good. Wait... why didn't she just call?

"Why didn't you just call? You didn't have to fly all the way up here to tell me I didn't get the job."

"No... that's not why I'm here."

"OH. MY. GOD. Please tell me they didn't fire you!!"

"No, of course not. Carlisle is my stepfather. If he fired me, he'd have to deal with my mother's wrath."

Okay, so now I was thoroughly confused.

"Wow. Okay... so then what are you doing here?"

"Well, let's just say that it took a lot of convincing on my part that our 'affair' wouldn't affect our working relationship. It also helped that I talked to my mother and told her that I had met someone that I really liked and wanted to get to know better, but the only way to do that was to offer him a job so he could move to Vegas."

"And she bought that?"

"Of course. My mom is a hopeless romantic. She would talk Carlisle into signing over the business if she knew it would make her 'baby girl' happy." She laughed and shook her head.

"So, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Cullen Pharmaceuticals is extending an offer to you as Vice President of Sales and Marketing, if you would like to accept it." A smile, bright enough to light the moon, crept across her face. "And my mom says she can't wait to meet you."

I laughed as she blushed, looking sweet and innocent, but knowing she's anything but...

"Yes. I'll accept your offer." I beamed as she launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing my lips passionately. After a moment, she pulled away, telling me to get back to work, turn in a letter of resignation to HR, and that she would check into a hotel and meet me back here for lunch.

"How can you think about lunch now? It's eight-thirty in the morning?"

"Are you kidding me? I can't stop _thinking_ about lunch!"

I looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "Why? What are we having for lunch?"

She smiled mischievously, "Sushi."


End file.
